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DELIVERING A
SOLUTION FOR
QUEENSLAND
FRUIT FLY
SITplus is a five-year $22 million
research and development
partnership that aims to deliver
an integrated pest management
solution to the major horticultural
pest Queensland fruit fly (Qfly).
Through a strategic, coordinated and
national approach using cutting edge
Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), the
partnership is set to transform the
way Qfly is managed in Australia.
The SITplus partnership is
set to transform the way
Qfly is managed in Australia
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
(PIRSA)
Regions South Australia
Primary Industries and
titute
Ins
rch and Development
South Australian Resea
A)
(HI
Australia Limited
Horticulture Innovation
ip
gsh
CSIRO Biosecurity Fla
stralia
Au
Plant & Food Research
ries
ent of Primary Indust
tm
New South Wales Depar
Macquarie University
How does SIT work?
What is Qfly?
Qfly is an endemic pest in the Australian
horticultural sector, affecting the quality
of the fruit and vegetables we eat and
costing the sector $150 million in lost
markets.
Sustainable management of Qfly is vital
to Australia’s $6.9 billion horticultural
sector, which relies on domestic and
international trade.
Qfly can impact horticultural production
in Australia in two ways – by damaging
produce in the field leading to yield losses
and by affecting the health status of the
crops for international markets.
SIT involves the strategic release of large
numbers of male fruit flies that have
been sterilised. The sterile male flies are
strategically released to greatly outnumber
the wild male population and as a result limit
the opportunity for wild females to mate with
wild males. The outcome of this disruption
to mating is the suppression of subsequent
generations of the wild flies. SIT can be
effective in dealing with incursions of Qfly,
for protecting the status of pest free areas
and for suppression in Qfly endemic areas
where integrated pest management has
been successful.
The ‘plus’ in SITplus emphasises the aim
of the partnership to be about more than
just breeding of sterile insects – it’s about
innovative science to produce male only
flies for release, thus greatly reducing
production cost, and providing a framework
of integrated ecological and behavioural
science which can maximise the impact
Landmark SIT facility
Underpinning the partnership is a
A$3.7 million investment by PIRSA and
HIA, to build a facility in Port Augusta,
South Australia where sterile Qfly will
be bred to produce the sterile, male
fruit flies. Due for completion in mid
2016, the SIT facility will have the
capacity to produce 50 million sterile
male Qfly each week.
of sterile flies when deployed in Australia,
and New Zealand (if required). Including
New Zealand in this partnership is part
of a proactive strategy to ensure the country
remains Qfly free.
SIT has already been used with great
success around the world to combat a range
of fruit fly species. This will be the first time
that male only Qfly have been used in SIT.
What are the
benefits to the
horticultural
sector?
SIT is a potential game changer for
Australia’s horticultural industries,
offering a new, environmentally friendly,
sustainable and cost-effective approach
to Qfly management. By using the
technique, Australian growers can:
• reduce their use of pesticides
• expand their production of high quality
crops that are free of Qfly infestation
• benefit from increased market access
opportunities.
Using SIT to combat Qfly also gives
greater protection to the honey bee
industry through reduced chemical
impacts and increased pollination rates.
contact us
about SITplus, contact
For more information
2300
n Australia on 02 8295
Horticulture Innovatio
.
au
ulture.com.
or email contact@hortic